LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume L, Issue 59, 31 May 1907, Page 2

LOCAL AND GENERAL.

Captain Edwin wired at noon yesterday:—Moderate to strong southerly winds, glass little movement, i ides good sea moderate, probably cold night. A strong committee of ladies is trranging a complimentary concert to be tendered to Mr A. K, Fletcher, prominent in local musical' circles. The concert will be held towards the latter end of next week. On Thursday morning Mr W. G. Ki.ldell, B.llgave judgment in the case brought agiinst M. llolger, hotelkeeper, of Manaia, f,>r aiding and abetting and supplying of liquor to natives at I'aiihaka. His Worship said he ii-id perused the case mentioned by Mr Welsh, for the defence, but did not consider it applicable. He convicted defendant and lined him ;CIO and costs £2 10s. The police asked that the license should be produced ' and endorsed, but this the S.M. declined to do.

As bearing upon the blackberry pest, an experiment eumlueted by duo ot (lie stock inspectors is now being watch..'.!

with intere-t (says the; Xclson Evening •Mail). An area of about tliiny air's of bush laud, abutting on the? 'iVlor.is river, in the vicinity of the Worn* bridge, lias been securely fenced, ami -JO common goats have been placed in tile enclosure. The blackberry pest lias a psriicu.arly strong hold inside tlie fenced area, and on tile adjacent road-ide, but already the ravages of the goats are visible in all directions. Tliey are partial 10 the young shoots and ieaves lof tli. l blackberry, and it seems cert lin that they will solve the problem of keeping the pest in cheek. California now boasts of neatly 3000 miles of oiled roads. The crude peu> leum lued as a dressing for these highways has transformed the herelofuiei dirty and often impassable roads into excellent thoroughfares which make motor ear travelling over them a pleasure ami a delight. Of the five counties of the State at least 40 have now oiled loads. The first experiment with oil as road-dres-ing was maile in 189S, and it was found that when it was applied it immediately ,began to biml together all the loose particles 011 the ™rfaee, and formed a stratum resembling asphalt. California now occupies a foremost position in regard to mileage of good roaus as a result of this method of trciting the highways. All the lorries anil the expresses in the town seemed to be loaded with Champion flour on Thursday morning. A.n exceptionally large shipment of the anti-Trust product came to hand for Mr Newton King, the Taranaki agent, portion of a shipment of 300 tons landed in the past ten days. In addition to tlie large quantity in sight there were eleven trucks on Mr King's private siding awaiting distribution. This boimg the largest consignment of Hour of iiny one brand, Mr P. W. Court, who handles the wholesale department, arranged to have a photograph taken, and this wa"

done. Champion flour is evidently popular, and increasingly popular in Taranaki, and Mr Newtan King's handling of the business is no doubt responsible in a very large degree; whilst the consumer is bound to appreciate the fa;t that the Northern Mills Proprietary,

who mill Champion, declined all overtures to join the Flour Trust, and is competing successfully against it. This large shipment' is being distributed throughout Taranaki, every town between hero and Hawera getting its share.